


Orsterra New

by Philuffy Clement (TsundereLoli_Squid)



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Amnesia strikes again, Fights, I will be updating the tags as new chapters come, I'm pretty sure those are the travellers, Magic, lots of running
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:14:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26822743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TsundereLoli_Squid/pseuds/Philuffy%20Clement
Summary: For Light. For Truth. For Treasure. For Redemption. For Revenge. For Succour. For Freedom. For Master. Long ago, eight travellers joined together to take down the dark god. Their tale has been passed down throughout time; a tale that has since fallen into obscurity. All of a sudden, their tale has been erased from history; the memories of the travellers being wiped clean from the memories of all.A girl cloaked in white, a flower with eight dull petals that adorn her left hand. Slowly, each petal begins to glow.Searching for answers, she embarks on a quest. Guided by the crest, she travels through a new Orsterra searching for remnants of the missing legend. Who could she be and what has happened to the eight travellers?
Kudos: 2





	1. In the forest clearing; He who travels for Succour

~??? Years ago~

Broken spears, blades, staves, bows, arrows. The sky was covered in darkness. Five travellers lay lifeless on the floor. Blood soaked the earth. Hordes of monsters were dropping dead each second. All that remained were two figures, one cloaked in black and another in red.

“Ara, Ara. My, oh my…….” She was laughing. She found this all too amusing. She was disgusted by how pitifully weak the travellers were. 

“Flamebringer...How much you’ve fallen.” The figure in red was walking towards the figure in black, knife in hand. “I will end you now.” She lunged towards the figure in black.

“I believe that is unacceptable.” Another figure in black with a golden crown on his head emerged from the shadows and stopped the figure in red. She fell back. “I believe that we cannot have you killing her.”

“Why would you side with her, Scholarking?” The figure in red was getting frustrated. Two of her own friends, two of travellers who helped defeat Galdera, now side with the darkness. 

“Why indeed. I was simply offered knowledge.” The Scholarking has gone mad with curiosity, driven mad by his desire for knowledge. “Away with you, pitiful travellers! CURSE OF DESIRES!”

“Not on my watch!” The figure in red threw herself at the Scholarking.

A bright flash of light. The battlefield was empty. All traces of battle were gone. The eight travellers were gone. Vanished into thin air.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Light. For Truth. For Treasure. For Redemption. For Revenge. For Succour. For Freedom. For Master. The tale of eight legendary travellers that have been passed down throughout time. Regarded by many and even the gods themselves as the successors to the new pantheon. A tale that has fallen into obscurity, wiped away from history. The tale of the eight; a tale wiped clean from the memories of all. 

~The Riverlands~  
She studied her left hand. A flower with 8 petals. Each petal was a dull gray except for one petal that shined a bright white. She found herself in a place with a river. The Riverlands. The land where the traveller of succour hailed from. There was a cool breeze. The trees swayed in the winds. The sound of a flowing river, insects buzzing and leaves rustling. A relaxed feeling washed over her. It was peaceful. The sun shone on her back and the sky was clear. It was an ideal place to nap. She let out a loud yawn and continued walking. Memories of the previous week flashing through her head.

~1 week ago~  
The abandoned subterranean study. The place where the traveller of truth’s tale began. The place was guarded by sentinels. The entrance was barricaded by wooden planks that have deteriorated over time. The only person who inhabited it was a hooded figure in black. 

Long, golden hair tied up in a ponytail by a golden hair clip. A white dress with gold accents that reached her ankles covered by a white cloak. Her left hand was covered by a leather glove. Her feet, covered in scratches and bruises, only adorned by old leather sandals. All she carried was a broken lantern in one hand and a brown satchel. Her face was covered by a gold masquerade mask. Her left eye shined a bright blue and her right eye shined a dark brown. She who hails from the family known as Clement. A family hated by all those who know of it. She was meeting with a prophet, one who hailed from ancient times.

She removed her leather glove. Eight petals. Only one was not gray; a single white petal that seemed out of place in the dull flower. One of the petals was glowing. A faint, green light. It seemed to be calling out to her. “I believe that you called for me?”

“It seems as if it’s time.” There wasn’t a hint of hesitation in his voice. He spoke slowly and calmly, emphasizing every word. “The mural of eight. A legendary crest said to be bestowed upon one of the descendants of the travellers that the traveller of truth created as a way to counter the darkness.” The tale of the eight. The only book that still contained the tale of the travellers. He was carefully analyzing it. It was the notes of the traveller of truth. The only one who had it was the prophet. “I sense a disturbance in the balance. It seems as if your crest is detecting it as well. A faint green……….” His voice went quiet.

“A faint green. What exactly does it mean?” She looked at her hand puzzled. A green petal.

“He who travels for succour.” He turned to his desk and was carefully flipping through the pages of his journals. “Ah yes, here it is…….The kindred soul who healed everyone he met. He who hailed from the lush, green land with a crystal river. The petal of succour. Something is happening in the Riverlands. It will guide you. You must go. He awaits you.”

Guided by those words she travelled throughout the Riverlands. Riverford, the land of fog. Clearbrook, the land of healing. The petal stopped glowing when she reached those places. Saintsbridge. The petal was glowing brightly. 

She arrived in Saintsbridge, the second destination of the traveller of light’s journey. Everyone was inside their homes. People were laying on the ground. The sound of coughing and wheezing.

“What happened here?” She asked an old gentleman who was tending to some patients. He was an apothecary. He was trying hard to cure them.

“It seems as if some sort of illness has spread.” He was breathing hard. He was having trouble staying awake. He’s been up all night tending to the people of Saintsbridge.

“Is there some sort of cure?”

“Yes, there should be. There should be some herbs in the Rivira woods but no one has been able to get them. We sent some explorers out but……..”

“What happened to them?” She was getting worried. The conditions of the townsfolk got worse by the hour. 

“Only one man came back. He had some sort of giant snake bite on his arm. He was yelling something about a giant snake in the woods.”

“A giant snake…..” The petal on her hand glowed brighter when the snake was mentioned. What does this snake have to do with what’s going on? “Let me go get the herbs. I’ll get the ingredients for the cure.”

“I shouldn’t let a young woman go get them. We should wait for the army to arrive.”

“If we wait, everyone is just going to die! I’m going to get them and you can’t stop me. We need this cure right away.” She ran into the woods. The petal was glowing brighter. 

The Rivira woods. The place where He defeated the evil known as Miguel. The place was dark. The tree branches blocked the sky. The only light was the light that fell through the holes in the leaves of the trees and the fire that burned in her lantern. It should be at a clearing. She was desperately looking for the ingredients for the cure. Hisss. The forest was quiet. All the monsters have been cleared out of the forest. There were bones scattered throughout. Hiss. A cool breeze. The leaves on the trees were rustled. Hiss. A faint hissing sound. 

She took a piece of coal from her bag and tossed it into her lantern. The flame burned a bright yellow. Bolts of lightning came crashing down. CRASH! A giant serpent emerged from the darkness. The Wrinkled Viper, a descendant of the blotted viper. A giant, green snake with large fangs that oozed venom. There were wrinkles and cracks in its skin; it was about to shed. Long black stripes ran along its back. The lightning did not affect the snake. It reared to its full height and it towered over her. It dove at her. She rolled away, barely dodging the snake’s bite. She summoned her spear and began to stab at the snake. It snapped the spear in half. She was being backed into a corner. She was frantically grabbing for a piece of coal in her bag. She tossed it into her lantern and it burned a bright red. The serpent lunged at her and she jumped over its head. She tossed her lantern towards the snake and the fire within roared to life. The snake caught on fire and it burned until there was nothing left but ash.

She continued onwards. She saw a light up ahead. The flame in her lantern had gone out. She could see flowers up ahead. She stumbled into a small clearing. The edge of the clearing was covered in flowers and herbs; a garden had been planted. The place was surrounded by a mysterious barrier. The sky was clear and the sun shone brightly, illuminating the place. The petal was glowing brighter. She seemed to have reached the place. There was a strong gust of wind and a flash of green light and there he stood. The legendary traveller.

He stood there in the centre of the clearing. His hair was a mess; the hairs on the crown were spiked up and the hair at the back had grown long, reaching up to his shoulders. He wore a dark green shirt that was covered in mud. His brown vest was loosely fitted. He had beige pants and dark brown boots. His face was covered by a wooden mask. He carried a satchel with him; it was old and was falling apart. He stood watching over some sort of stone structure that looked like a bed. There was a person on it. Immediately his head was turned towards her and a wooden axe appeared in his hand.

“Traveller, why is it that you come here? What is your reason for coming to this clearing.” He spoke softly. He wasn’t a threat.

“I am here in search of a cure. The townspeople of Saintsbridge are suffering from some sort of illness. An apothecary is trying his best to help them but he needs the cure.” She spoke confidently, not a bit of hesitation in her voice. “You are the traveller of succour are you not? He who helps all those in need. I need your help to cure the townsfolk.”

He let out a muffled laugh. “I have been called many things but I cannot seem to remember what it is that my name is. I shall gladly help you but first, you must pass my trial.” He walked slowly towards her until he was directly in front of her. “You bear resemblance to someone. A person that I have forgotten about yet when I remember her, all sorts of emotions come flooding to me. I ask you, what is your name?”

“I do not have a name. I am simply referred to as Clement.” She got her spear ready. A battle was looming.

“Clement. I have heard that name before. Ally? Foe? I recall the name yet I can’t remember the one who had it. I feel a strong sense of admiration when I hear the name yet, I feel a strong sense of hatred as well. Forgive me, traveller. I must make sure that you are someone worthy of my trust.” He took a few steps back. The trial has begun.

He lunged towards her and struck her with his axe. She deflected the blows with her spear and she struck back. The clashing of wood and metal. She deflected each axe blow with her spear but the force of each blow caused her to stumble. She was having trouble maintaining her balance. She lunged forward with her spear and thrust it into his chest. He dodged easily and snapped the spear in half with his axe. He struck her with the back end of his axe and she was sent flying into a bush. She was struggling to get up. She needed some time. She began to run but her ankle was sprained. She limped and she barely managed to avoid his axe blows. She dug into her satchel for a piece of coal. She tossed it into her lantern and a green fire roared to life. She faced him. She waved her lantern around and a violent wind roared to life. The trees were being blown hard and her hair was flowing in the wind.

“Howling Tempest!” A tempest of wind and hail was sent flying towards him.

“Counter stance.” He braced himself and took the hit from the tempest. He managed to counter the blow. He was inching closer towards her, deflecting each hit from the tempest with his axe. He raised his hand and brought the axe down.

He stopped. She was looking up at him with fear. A sudden rush of memories. He staggered for a bit and stopped. His head was spinning. What were these memories? A little girl and her brother. Brown eyes that looked at him all those years ago.  
“Those eyes of yours…….” He remembered. He was……. “They were the same eyes that looked at me all those years ago. You have passed my test.” With that, she collapsed.

~?? Hours later~  
She awoke to find herself propped up against a tree. The sun was shining. How long was she out for?

“Do not worry, time does not pass here.” He was busy grinding some herbs. “I’m making the cure. I wrote the recipe down and I put some herbs in your bag.”

She slowly walked over to the stone structure. There was a little girl on it. She seemed happy. She was hugging her teddy bear tightly. She had long messy hair that reached her waist. Freckles covered her face. She had big eyes and she had a big smile on her face. She was unconscious. She wore a green dress that reached her ankles.

He calmly walked towards her and handed her the cure. He took off his mask. His eyes were puffy. He was crying. He placed his mask in the girl’s arms. “I’m no longer supposed to be here. My time is up. You have passed the trial. I bestow upon you the blessing of the apothecary.” He placed his hand on her left hand. The petal turned green. Now there were two coloured petals, white and green. “This girl is someone important to me….could you please bring her to town and have someone look after her? Her name is Rin and she’s currently in a coma due to illness.”

He started walking away. His voice was getting quieter and quieter. “Clement, haven’t heard that name in a while. My legend ends here. The legend of the kindred soul who healed everyone he met……..” He was gone. All traces of him disappeared. She found herself back at the entrance of the woods. She was carrying Rin. She needed to get to Saintsbridge quickly.

She helped the apothecary to heal everyone. Using the recipe and ingredients that he left her, she managed to heal everyone. She left the recipe with the apothecaries so that they could cure the illness anytime it came back. An old couple took in Rin. She left Saintsbridge and everyone gave her a final farewell. The legend of the wandering traveller has reached a new chapter.

~In the study~  
She carefully looked at her left hand. There was now another coloured petal. Suddenly, a rush of emotions and memories came flooding in. Alfyn’s memories. She found herself in his body. He was playing with Zeph and Nina. Alfyn was known throughout the land as a master apothecary. He travelled all over and helped those in need without any charge. He was recognized by Dohter as the successor to the pantheon and Alfyn took his place. He travelled all over with the other travellers.

A battle. There stood a lone figure in black. Five travellers gathered together to take her down. She was too powerful for them and they were easily overwhelmed. They lay there on the ground, badly wounded. A lone figure in red and a figure with a crown on his head. Suddenly there was a flash of bright light and he lost consciousness. He awoke to find himself in the clearing. He couldn’t remember anything; every time he tried to remember his name or anything regarding him, his mind came to a blank. Pain and anguish, these emotions came flooding in. The townsfolk of the village nearby were suffering from an epidemic and they needed help. He tried to help them but found that he couldn’t leave the clearing. Hundreds of years passed and he longed to explore the world and help anyone in need. One day, he found an orphaned baby at the edge of the clearing. Her parents were killed by a snake. He took her in and raised her. He taught her everything about being an apothecary. Eventually, she too became bound to the clearing. Her health worsened by day and she fell into a comatose state. He found that he was starting to vanish. He waited for someone to come to the clearing. He needed to pass on his knowledge and get Rin to safety. He waited until he found a girl cloaked in white who stumbled into the clearing. 

“The travellers are still alive…..” She found herself back in her body. The hooded figure was studying her hand. “You met him?”

“Yes, but he didn’t seem to remember who he was.” She was lost in thought. What happened to them? “He said that he recognized the name Clement but he wasn’t sure if it was ally or foe. He put me through a trial…….” She told him everything she knew; No time passed in the clearing, Rin, and the memories that she saw.

“This is weird. How could the travellers still be alive.” The hooded figure was trying hard to figure out what was happening. “They were recognized as the new pantheon but they were supposed to die. But how could they still be alive…….And it seems like they don’t remember anything.”

“The odd thing is that both of us also seem to not remember anything. All I remember after waking up one day is the name Clement and all you remember is the name, Therese.” 

“Just as Alfyn didn’t remember anything, we can’t seem to remember who we are as well. What if, there might be a connection between the travellers, our lost memories, and the crest on your arm. When it was glowing, it led you to one of the travellers. So, if the other petals start to glow then maybe we might find the other travellers and find out what’s going on.” 

“Maybe………”

~Stonegard~  
She sat in the tavern studying her left hand. It was glowing yellow. She’s been travelling for eight days straight. Travellers, lost memories, this crest…..Thoughts were rushing through her head. There was something important about the tale of the travellers that has something to do with her crest. Lost memories, and a single name. 

She stood outside of the tavern stretching her arms. The sun was just about to rise. She got up early and was headed to Goldshore and Grandport. There was something there that she needed to see. 

~Loch of the lost king~  
*Argh* She was getting visibly frustrated. She craved treasures that she cannot have. She needed to get a hold of something, anything. Her desire for treasure grew every day but she can’t seem to recall why she wanted treasure.

~At an inn in Goldshore~  
Brown hair that reached her shoulders. A large backpack filled with treasures and a hat with a yellow feather strapped to it that adorned her head. She had stopped by Goldshore on her way to Grandport. She was looking to see if she can find anything to sell at the upcoming Merchants’ Fair.


	2. Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A yellow petal.
> 
> She had just gotten the green petal of succour from Alfyn, the traveller of succour. Now there was another petal. The yellow petal of treasure. 
> 
> Guided by the petal, she finds herself in Grandport

~Loch of the Lost King~  
Short, brown hair that barely reaches the bottom of her neck, two locks of hair that frame the sides of her face. Dull green eyes and a wicked smile adorn her face. A white dress that reaches her knees with the collar popped upwards and puffy sleeves. Her feet were bare, covered in scratches and bruises from walking on sharp stones. She lay there on a red, fainting couch; a couch with only one end having a raised back. A hat lay on the floor, its feather has fallen off a long time ago. The ground was littered with all sorts of treasures; one can find golden goblets, coins, purses, photos, anything one can think of. She had taken the treasure from all the travellers who dared step foot into the loch. Her treasures gave her a wealth that rivalled those of the noblest of houses. She had everything she can want. But she found that it wasn’t enough. She was looking for more treasure, something that can satisfy her ever-growing greed. She was bored. She passed time by tossing stones into the air and fighting with travellers. She wanted to leave and see the sun. She found that she could never leave the loch. Her craving for an adventure and a unique treasure grew every single day. She was growing irritated. Her anger was through the roof. Her greed wasn’t going to die down no matter how many treasures she takes. Is there someone who can help her she thought?

~Goldshore~  
“What is going on?” she thought. Her crest has brought her to Goldshore but it seemed to have stopped glowing. It only glowed when she was in front of the inn. She carefully waited but it seems like no one was leaving.

Inside the inn was a girl. She had brown hair that reached her shoulders. She carried with her a backpack that held all sorts of treasures. Her head was adorned by a hat with a yellow feather strapped to it. She wore a white shirt and black pants. She wore brown gloves on each hand and a leather vest. She wore dark brown boots. She was Hazel, Hazel Colzione.

The sun was rising. It was early in the morning. There was a cool breeze. You can hear the sound of the crashing waves. Hazel set out and left Goldshore for Grandport. The Merchants’ Fair was happening in the coming week.

Clement studied her left hand carefully. It had stopped glowing. She was wandering around, just relaxing. A girl passed by her and the petal was glowing brighter. She was confused. What was happening? She followed the girl and headed to Grandport.

~West Grandport Coast~  
She lost sight of the girl. She was getting closer to Grandport and the petal was getting brighter. Suddenly, she heard a scream. She rushed over to it and found a girl getting attacked by a group of Sea Birdkings. She was desperately fighting them back with her spear. Clement threw a piece of coal into her lantern and the flame burned a bright yellow. Bolts of lightning came crashing down and destroyed the Birdkings.

“Are you all right?” She rushed over to the other girl.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She was laughing. “That was such a thrill. I thought my heart was going to leap out of my chest! Thanks a lot for the help. I’m Hazel. What’s your name?”

“I don’t really know my name. But you can call me Clement.” The petal was glowing brighter. “I’m headed to Grandport. Are you going there as well?”

“That’s right, Ms. Clement.” She had a big grin on her face. “I’m heading there for the Merchants’ Fair. Why don’t we go together?” She reached out her hand. Clement shook it and both of them headed to Grandport together.

~At a tavern in Grandport~  
It took them about a day worth of travel but the two of them had reached Granport. They decided to take a break at the tavern and learn more about each other. They’ve become fast friends.

“So, what brings you to Grandport, Ms. Clement?” Hazel was happily drinking away at the apple juice. The tavern was famous for its delicious apple juice. 

Clement removed her glove and showed Hazel her crest. “I’m looking for the travellers of legend. They seem to have some sort of connection to this crest.” She was carefully analyzing the crest. It was getting brighter whenever she got close to Hazel. “You said your name was Hazel Colzione right?”

“Yeah. Colzione is my family name. I was an orphan for as long as I’ve known.” She brought out a notebook from her bag. “All I knew was that my name was Hazel Colzione. There doesn’t seem to be any sort of records of the Colzione family in the Rippletide documents. I remember being given a diary by one of the visitors who came. It was written by a traveller named Noa and she mentioned someone with the Colzione name. I travelled all over and now I’ve reached Grandport. I’m hoping to learn more about my family.”

The petal became brighter when the name Noa was brought up. “Colzione….” She was thinking hard. “What does Noa say about this Colzione person?”

She flipped through pages. “It says that a girl named Tressa Colzione came to Grandport and presented her with a diary that talked about her travels. Noa liked it a lot and went on her own journey.”

“Tressa Colzione…” Clement brought out the notebook that the prophet had given her. She flipped through the pages and found the page on Tressa. “It says here that Tressa was one of the eight legendary travellers. She travelled throughout Orsterra searching for rare treasures and looking for an adventure.”

“An adventure………” The sun was high up in the sky. People were wandering outside. Sounds of talking and festive music can be heard from the open door. “Anyways, I have to get my stand set up for the Merchants’ Fair. See you, Ms. Clement.” Hazel got up and packed her stuff and walked out of the tavern.

Clement followed her until they reached the Grandport Markets. A few stands were set up. People from all over gathered to sell their treasures. There was a stand that was selling antiques and another that was selling food using ingredients only found in the Sunlands. People were walking all over, looking for something to drop a coin on. Hazel was busy setting up her stand.

“How about I help you?” Clement came and helped Hazel. They set up a table with multiple shelves on it to display their findings. They put up a canopy over the stall to make sure that no rain got on it. There was a lot of stuff on the stall; Carpets, books, toys, jewellery, some rare minerals, and even an antique sword. “My, you seem to carry a lot of stuff with you. How do you not find it heavy?”

Hazel was a short girl. She was 16 but she was short standing at 159 cm. She would often get glances from people when they see her carrying a massive backpack. “I don’t know. I’m just used to it. I helped out at a shop in Rippletide when I was younger and I often did some heavy lifting.”

One by one, the customers came flocking in. Almost everything was sold out by the time the sun was down. They decided to stay at the inn. The next day, they decided to explore Grandport. It was bustling with activity. A group of traders just came back. They had ripped clothes and almost all of the stuff they had on them was gone. They looked scared. They were trembling and they looked like they just got caught in a hurricane.

They gathered at the tavern and were drinking themselves silly. Everyone gathered around them to figure out what was going on. Slowly, they began to tell their tale.

“We were out exploring and looking for some treasure.” A bearded fellow was staring at his mug. He seemed lost in thought. He looked like the leader of the group. “We had just gotten back and decided to check out the Loch since the Tyrannodrake is long gone. But, it seems as if there was something else there……….”

“There was a lot of treasure there.” A bald fellow started talking. He was nervously tapping his fingers on the table. “There were coins, dresses, golden goblets, some furniture, and old tomes. The treasure there could give someone a wealth on par with the aristocrats. So, we decided to check it out.”

Another fellow started to talk. He has long hair that covered his eyes. He seemed to have had the worst luck in the encounter. He was shaking. “T-Then th-there wa-was this m-mo-mon-s-ster.” He was stuttering. Whatever he saw wasn’t a pleasant sight. “And it a-attacked us ou-out of n-no-wh-ere! It to-told us to give it all of our tr-trea-sure!” 

“We didn’t get a good look at it. It had a female voice. We placed a few coins on the ground but it wasn’t happy. It told us to give it everything we had. No matter how many times it asked, we refused to give it anything more than a few coins.” The bearded fellow was fiddling with his empty coin sack. “Then there was this massive gust of wind and we saw this thing. We were stripped clean of almost everything we had.” He had his eyes closed, he was trying hard to remember all the details. “It didn’t seem happy. Suddenly, hordes of spears were sent at us and we bolted out of the loch. No matter what, we shouldn’t go near there. There’s some sort of thing that’s far too dangerous there.” 

Outside the tavern, Hazel and Clement were listening closely. Hazel’s eyes were sparkling and Clement’s crest was getting brighter and brighter. “Ms. Clement, I have an idea. Why don’t we go to the loch? There’s bound to be some sort of treasure that we can find. It also seems like that crest thingy is saying to go as well.” She was jumping up and down. She was excited to go.

“But, something or someone is guarding that treasure. Wouldn’t it be dangerous to go?” Clement was worried. If it was a legendary traveller, she wasn’t confident that they can deal with them. She barely survived the battle against Alfyn last time.

“Awwwwwwwwww, c’mon. It’s going to be fun! Plus, don’t you need to find this traveller? This “monster” might be the traveller you’re looking for. With your magic and my quick wits, we can take this thing down!”

“Fine, let’s go.” She hesitantly agreed. She wasn’t confident that they could deal with a traveller. If it was just an ordinary monster they should be fine. If people who go there would get hurt, then they need to take down the thing that’s hurting them. So, Hazel and Clement journeyed to the loch in search of treasure and, possibly, the traveller. 

~Loch of the lost king~  
They stood there before the loch. The sound of crashing waves can be heard in the background. A strong gust of wind was coming from the loch and they can hear muffled screams of rage. Lantern and spear in hand, they headed inside.

The place was empty. The place was different from how old texts described it. It was bright. There were torches everywhere illuminating the place. Treasure of all kinds littered the ground from coins to jewellery to clothing. There were footsteps on the ground. They followed the footsteps and they found themselves in the far back of the loch. It was the place where the Tyrannodrake once lay. There was a fainting couch in the centre. On the ground was a hat with a yellow feather next to it. There were open treasure chests all around that were filled to the brim with coins; they were leaves, the old currency of Orsterra long ago. Suddenly, there was the sound of throat clearing behind them.

They turned around and found themselves face to face with the traveller of treasure. She was looking at them with an angry smile. “What exactly do you think you’re doing here?” She pushed them aside and sat down on the couch. She picked up a few coins and started tossing them up into the air. “So, are you here for my treasure. You can’t have any so please leave.” She waved her hand at them in a shooing motion. She seemed irritated that they were there. 

Clement’s crest was growing brighter. The petal was glowing brighter. “I just want to know, are you the traveller of treasure, Tressa Colzione?”

“And what if I a-” She looked at Clement. Her eyes were wide open in shock. “Is that you Ph-? No, wait, if it is you……..” She was thinking hard. Clement looked exactly like someone she knew but she couldn’t place her finger on who it was. “Anyways, state your name and business.”

“I’m Hazel Colzione, a travelling merchant! I come from the town of Rippletide. I came to Grandport for the Merchants’ Fair!” Hazel spoke up. “I came here because I heard that there was treasure! And if your name is Colzione, then we could be family!”

“Colzione……..wait, did you just say your name is Colzione?” She looked puzzled. The coins fell to the ground. “I ask you, do you have any other relatives?”

“Nope. I’m an orphan. I was told that my name was Hazel Colzione. I came mainly to Grandport guided by someone’s diary. They mentioned someone named Colzione and if you’re that person, then………..”

She thought hard for a moment. If this Hazel girl was named Colzione then she could……? She violently shook her head. She only remembered a man named Ali and a little girl as her family. “Anyways, get out. You came here for my treasure and I cannot give it to you so leave……..NOW.” She summoned a horde of spears and tossed them at Clement and Hazel. They bolted out of the loch, barely dodging the spears.

“I think that we found the traveller. My crest won’t stop glowing.”

“Then we need to talk to her!” They both ran into the loch again. 

She was irritated that they were there. “Why did you return?”

“Because you must be the legendary traveller. If you are Tressa Colzione, then I must speak with you!” Clement showed her crest.

“Yes, my name is Tressa Colzione.” She looked at the crest and her head started to hurt. She remembered something about it. For some reason, she was scared of it. “I demand treasure. If you can give me something that is to my liking, then I shall speak with you and answer any questions you might have. If it’s not to my liking then you must leave.”

Hazel offered an antique sword and Clement offered some gold she had. Tressa didn’t like any of it and sent them flying out of the cave. Over and over again, Clement and Hazel would come back and offer something but Tressa wouldn’t like it. They would be sent flying out of the cave. The sun set and rose. They’ve been at this for an entire day. They were tired out. Tressa was getting bored. Finally, Tressa had enough.

“Look, why are you so insistent on speaking with me?”

“There seems to be some sort of connection with this crest and the eight travellers of legend. I have lost all my memories and this crest might have a connection to my missing memories. If I find the travellers and get the petals to light up, then maybe, I can get my memories back.”

Tressa eyed her carefully. “Even if you were to give me treasure, I cannot help you since I, too, have lost my memories. I only remember small fragments and the main thing is that I am tasked with putting all travellers who enter this place through a trail. So far, you have failed.”

“A trial? What trial?” Hazel was confused. What was this “trial” that she was talking about?

“I do not know much about it but I simply know that you must give me a certain treasure. If I get this treasure back, then maybe I can gain my memories back and help you but for now, you’re failing.”

“What is this treasure?” Clement was desperate to pass the trial and speak to Tressa. “If you can tell us what it is, then maybe, we can find it.”

Tressa looked up at the roof of the loch. She was trying to remember what the treasure was. “I do not remember what it is exactly. All I remember is a certain journal that I gave to someone. Maybe that’s what it is. I remember that it has stories of someone’s travels in it. I long for an adventure and I wish to read it. I do not know who has it now but that is what I may be looking for. Now away with you.” She waved her hand a gust of wind blew Hazel and Clement out of the loch.

~Back at the Grandport tavern~  
They were thinking hard. A book containing someone’s adventures and it seems like it was given to someone else.

“Hazel, you said that the diary you had was written by a girl named Noa, right?”

“Yes.”

“And it mentioned a person named Tressa Colzione, so what if……..?”

Hazel’s eyes sparkled. An idea formed in her head. “There is a possibility that the Tressa Colzione in the loch is the same Tressa Colzione in the diary. But, that should be impossible. This diary was said to date back a hundred years ago!”

“Well, it seems like the travellers were meant to die but they seem to still be alive and have forgotten about their past lives. There might be some info on the book that Tressa is looking for in that diary.”

Hazel flipped through the pages of the diary. “Noa said that she treasured the book given to her by Tressa so much that she decided to hide it to keep it safe.”

“Do you know where it’s hidden?”

“It seems like she hid it in a chest in the abandoned Grandport sewers. I have the key right here. The book Tressa is looking for might be there, so let’s go!”

~The Grandport sewers~  
The sewers have been abandoned. Barely anyone went down there. The place was infested with gooey slugs and vampire bats. They travelled west, following the map drawn by Noa. They struck down hordes of bats and slugs until they reached the stairs that led down to the chest. The chest was guarded by a figure in a blue cloak. He had golden hair that was tied in a ponytail. He wore black boots and in his hands were a pair of daggers.

He noticed them and looked up at them. “I ask for your names and why you’re here.”

“I am Hazel Colzione and she’s Ms. Clement.” Hazel took out the diary. “We came here in search of Noa’s treasure and we would like to humbly ask that you give us the treasure.”

“Colzione. You must be a descendant of hers. I would like to give it to you but this is very precious to the Wyndham family. You must defeat me in battle. Long ago, Noa stated that only those who could defeat the warrior she put in charge to guard it can have the treasure. I am often regarded as one of the strongest warriors in Orsterra. You must defeat me if you wish to have the treasure!”

Hazel brought out her spear and Clement got her lantern ready. They went down the stairs and stood before the man in blue. He ran straight for Clement and slashed at her with his daggers. Hazel jumped in front of Clement and stopped the daggers with her spear. He jumped back and took out a few throwing knives. He tossed them at Hazel. Hazel slashed each knife out of the air. Clement summoned a tempest of hail and launched it towards the man. He dodged the tempest and was hit by Hazel’s spear. Hazel and the man went back and forth, trading blows. The man lost his daggers and was using his fists to fight Hazel. He did a leg sweep and Hazel lost balance. He kicked her in the stomach and she fell onto the ground. Clement summoned balls of fire and launched them at the man. He jumped back to avoid them. Hazel got up and summoned a wind storm. She took out a bunch of spears from her bag and threw them into the storm. The storm launched the spears at the man. He jumped up to avoid them and was trying to find a place to land. Clement summoned bolts of lightning to strike the places that he would try to land. Hazel ran forward and caught the man trying to land. She bashed him with her shoulder and put her foot on his chest, her spear inches from his face. The man brought his hands up.

“You defeated me. You can have the treasure.”

Hazel and Clement walked towards the chest. Hazel brought out the key and opened it. They found a journal in it. The journal contained the stories of two people, Graham Crossford and Tressa Colzione. This must be the book she was looking for. They ran back to the loch.

~Back at the loch of the lost king~  
“You’re back again?” Tressa was annoyed that they came back. She was getting tired of dealing with them again. “So, did you find the book?”

Hazel reached into her backpack and brought out the journal. She walked forward and handed it to Tressa. “Here you go. A book containing the story of Tressa Colzione.”

Tressa grabbed it and flipped through the pages. Suddenly, a rush of memories came flooding back. She remembered her life. She put her hand to her head. She was feeling light-headed.

“Are you okay?” Clement approached Tressa. Tressa was beginning to fade.

“I wish I had more time……..” She got up and started walking towards the entrance of the loch. “I just remembered everything. I wish I can tell you everything I knew. I remembered who I am. I don’t know what came over me to attack other travellers.” She reached the entrance of the loch and she found herself under the bright sun.

Hazel and Clement rushed to her. She was fading. She turned back to them and started talking, “I am Tressa Colzione. A traveller from Rippletide. I travelled in search of treasure and adventure. My journey ended when I defeated the dark god. I settled down and started a family. I would occasionally go on adventures with them. But, that was a long time ago. They’re long gone now, all of them. Hazel, I think it’s safe to say that you’re my great-great-granddaughter. You bear much resemblance to me.” She turned away and started walking towards the water. Her voice was getting quieter and her body was disappearing. “Clement, you remind me a lot of someone I know. As a gift, I shall give you a name. From now on, you shall be known as Philuffy. That crest you have can be very dangerous if used by the wrong person. Make sure to be careful and watch out for the crowned figure in black. I find you worthy and you have passed the trial. And so that en-...................” She was gone.

The petal has stopped glowing and it was no longer a dull gray. There were now three coloured petals; the white petal of light, the green petal of succour, and the yellow petal of treasure. She now had a name. Together, Philuffy and Hazel went back to Grandport.

~The next day~  
Philuffy couldn’t sleep last night. Like last time, a flood of memories came flowing into her head. She saw the life of Tressa. Tressa was happy and had lots of fun with her family and friends. She saw the battle again. Tressa was fighting with the others to take down a figure in black. The figure in black had golden locks of hair that escaped her hood. A figure in red was talking to her and referred to her as the flamebearer. She saw another figure in black who wore a crown; he was the mastermind behind it all. The Flamebearer and Scholarking. Those were the titles that Ophilia and Cyrus had. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and Tressa found herself in the loch. Her desire for treasure grew each day and she took the treasure of all those who went into the loch. She wanted to go outside and go on a journey. Then, she met a figure in white and another figure who looked like her but with longer hair.

“That crest you have can be very dangerous if used by the wrong person. Make sure to be careful and watch out for the crowned figure in black.” Her words echoed in Phi’s head. “Scholarking and Flambearer, a battle, a flash of light, Ophilia and Cyrus being missing. What is going on?”

Phi and Hazel met in front of the tavern. They were meeting up to discuss their plans.

“I need to be getting back now.” Phi was studying her crest. A yellow petal. “I need to go report back. I’ll be leaving for Atlasdamn now.”

“I’m going to stay here for the Merchants’ Fair. I guess this is where we say farewell.”

They hugged and shook hands. Phi began walking towards the entrance to Grandport. She turned back and waved to Hazel. “See you! Hope we can meet again soon!”

She was heading back to Atlasdam. She now had three coloured petals. She couldn’t help but feel an ominous feeling. Two figures in black. A crown. She remembered that the Prophet wore all black and had a broken crown on his desk that he would sometimes wear. She remembered waking up wearing a black cloak. She remembered a battle and that she was laughing. She remembered seeing five travellers who were fighting against her. Who was she exactly and is there something more to her story? Could the Prophet be trusted? These thoughts plagued her mind as she travelled back to Atlasdam.


End file.
